wilson



W. 6. WILSON. Dav/me MECHAMSM FOB HEAVY MECHANICALLY FROPELLED VEHICLES.APPLICATHSN FILED SEPT. 19. 19H.

1 ,3G6; @520 Patented 5 mm .10, 1919'.

IN 165V 76/? plan an.

WALTER GORDON WILSON, 0F EARNING-HAM,

EnenAnn.

DRIVING- MECHANISM FOR HEAVY MECHANICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 10, 1%19.

Application filed September 18, 1917. Serial No. 192,103.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER GORDON VVIL- soN, major, M. G. (3., H. S.,residing at Charton, Farninghain, Kent, England, subject of the King" ofGreat Britain and Ireland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements Relating to Drivin Mechanisms for HeavyMechanicallyrepelled Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to driving mechanisms for heavy mechanicallypropelled vehicles, and has for its object to provide improved controlof the track chains or driving wheels in contact with the ground, thesystem employed being of the type in which the track chain wheels aredriven by independent mechanism from a common shaft. Each mechanisminvolves the use of two brakes or a brake and a clutch or two clutches,which elements are herein gen erically referred to as controllers.

The invention comprises the operation of one of the controllers in eachmechanism by its own lever and the other by a lever which is common tothe corresponding controller in the other mechanism, the levers beingconnected in such a manner that while the latter set of controllers cantaneously each of these controllers can also be applied independentlywhen the other controller in the same mechanism is released. Further theinvention comprises the combination with each track pinion or drivingwheel, of an epicyclic mechanism, one part of which is connected to adriving shaft, another to the track pinion or wheel and a third to abrake, a brake being also employed on the second part.

The accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings shows diagrammaticallyone form of controlling and driving mechanism constructed in accordancewith. this invention.

In carrying the invention into effect as shown, the separate. drivingmechanism of each track chain pinion a is mounted on a transverse shaftZ) which is carried by end bearings 0. On this shaft is mounted a sleeve(Z to which is secured the chain pinion a and carrier 2 for epieyclicpinions f, the carrier being shaped to serve as a drum which can beengaged by a brake band 9. To the shaft secured a sun pinion 71 andbrains drum 2', and freely mounted on the shaft an annulus provided withinternal teeth for gearing with the piuions and external teeth is somounted on the lever 'r be applied simulfor gearing with a pinion 70 ona shaft Z from which both mechanisms receive their motion. This shaft isdriven in any convenient manner from the engine.

Each brake band g on the planet carrier is connected by suitable linkagem with a pedal in situated between a pair of coaxial independent shafts0 and each brake band 39 on the sun pinion brake disk is likewiseconnected by suitable linkage g to its own hand lever 1* on a shaft .9.Thus each hand operated brake has its own hand lever, but the pedal iscommon to both of the foot operated brakes. The pedal 92'. is freelymounted and on opposite sides of it are levers t secured to the shafts0. Sliding through the pedal is a clutch piece u which can engage eitheror both of the levers t. l/Vhcn in the central. position it engages bothlevers but when pulled to either side it en gages only the lever on thatside. To actuate the clutch piece each hand lever is provided with apivoted part r connected to the said piece by a spring n. The lever-1'that any relatlve movement of the part r can only be cffected with orafter the release of the brake under the control of the lever 1'. Thismay be effected by arranging the plane of movement of the lever r at anangle other than a right angle to the plane of, movement of the lever rand so that a component of the pressure applied to the lever 9 servesalso to actuate if necessary the lever r as above described.

The epicyclic mechanisms are brought into action for transmitting motionfrom the main shaft by locking their sun pinions through the medium ofthe sun pinion brakes. To throw either out of action the correspondinghand lever is manipulated. for the release of the sun pinion brake. Tolock the planet carrier the foot-operated brake is then applied by meansof the pedal. If it desired to brake both planet carriers when the sunpinions are either free or locked depression of the pedal applies bothfootopcrated brakes simultaneously.

in a modification the sun pinion is the driver and the annulus iscontrolled by a brake.

it will be understood that the pedal may be adapted for operation as ahand lever and the hand levers as pedals.

By this invention better control of the track chains or driving wheelsis obtained than with the mechanisms commonly e1nployed and further thedisadvantages of friction clutches are entirely obviated: \Vhen theretention of friction clutches is necessary and. each driving mechanismC0111- prises u brake or clutch for retarding inolion and a clutch forconnecting the mechnnism to the driving shaft, the some lever controlmechanism nnry be employed with the introduction of suitablemodifications in the connecting linkage The invention is not limited toany niechnnicnl details as these may be varied to meet diflerentrequirements.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In driving mechanism for heavyliloehnnically propelled vehicles of the type in which track chains orWheels in contact with the ground are driven by independent mechanismfrom a common shaft, and each mech anism is provided with a ynircontrollers,

the combination coinprisin an independent operating lever for one 0 thecontrollers in each mechanism, a common operating lever for the othercontrolle s, means mutting with the indegcndent levers for producingindependent or conjoint operation of? the other controllers by thecommon lever, and means connecting the various levers to the controllerssubstantially as described.

2. ln driving mechanism for heavy niechnnienily propelled vehicles ofthe type in which track chains or Wheels in contact with the ground aredriven by independent mechanism from a common shaft, and eachincohenisrn is provided with a pear of? controllers the combination ofan independent lever for one of the controllers in each mechanism, alever for each of the other controllers, on operating lever common tothe latter levers, a clutch piece on the said common operating leverwhereby it can be connected or both of the levers with which it isassocinted, means connecting the clutch piece to the first mentionedindependent levers and operable thereby, and means connecting saidindependent levers and. the lovers (Wt!!- nted by the common lever tothe controller substantially as described.

3. In driving mechanism for hezrvy inehnnically propelled road vehicles,the coin hinntion coinprisii g a, common driving shaft, two trackpinions or driving; Wl'lQO T independent e cyclic mechnn the shaft tothe trnclr pinions or drivino whe ls, two controllers on ench eoicychcnieehnnisn'i, an independent opernting lever for one of the controllersin each mechanism, a common (lptlzlilllg lCYPl fie other con.-troll-01's means meeting; dent for producing indepei' 0r conjointoperation of the other GOllblOllQlfS by the connnon lever and meanseonnee the various levers to the controlle s1 hstnjntinlly as described.

in testimony whereof l have name to this specification.

Willi? It GORDUT to either

